According to the Belfast Telegraph, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had suggested Samoylova could perform live from Russia. However, state-owned Channel One declined and has refused to broadcast the competition.

Russian singer Yulia Samoylova who was chosen to represent Russia at Eurovision 2017 in Kyiv commented on the… https://t.co/OiR4aRja2k

In a statement, Frank Dieter Freiling, Chairman of the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group, the event’s steering committee, said:

“We strongly condemn the Ukrainian authorities’ decision to impose a travel ban on Julia Samoylova as we believe it thoroughly undermines the integrity and non-political nature of the Eurovision Song Contest and its mission to bring all nations together in friendly competition. However, preparations continue apace for the Eurovision Song Contest in the host city Kyiv. Our top priority remains to produce a spectacular Eurovision Song Contest with our Member UA:PBC in May.”

This is the not the first time Russia has run afoul of the EBU. In 1998, the country three it’s dummy out and declined to participate because of crappy results in previous years. The following year the EBU banned Russia from taking part.